ILIGAN CITY (PIA) — In line with the celebration of Business Month, the city here hosted the second-longest boodle fight, “Pamahaw sa Suba,” at the Esplanade in Barangay Santiago.
Various offices from the city government, government agencies, private sector, and business sector showcased their creativity and teamwork in the competition.
Iligan Mayor Frederick Siao emphasized that the boodle fight aimed to promote camaraderie among various sectors while also showcasing the Esplanade.
“Ang concept ani is to awaken the entrepreneurial spirit of each person in the community. At the same time, akong nakita aning kalihokan karon is ang camaraderie nga ma-generate pinaagi sa pagtapok gikan sa lain-laing opisina, members of the community, ug stakeholders,” he said.
(The concept of this is to awaken the entrepreneurial spirit of each person in the community. At the same time, this event could generate camaraderie through the gathering of people from different offices, members of the community, and stakeholders.)
Engr. Glenn Villacin, executive director of the Iligan Investments, Incentives, and Promotions Center, said the event was created to bring together various sectors and showcase the Iligan Esplanade as a unique landmark in Mindanao.
“Ang goal gyud nato para mahimong effective ug efficient ang atong communication ug networking between line agencies. Usa kini nga higayon aron magsugod ang bag-ong pagkahimamat sa mga amigo,” he said.
(Our goal is to make our communication and networking between line agencies effective and efficient. This is an opportunity to start new connections with friends.)
Meanwhile, Councilor Lawyer Marlene Young shared that this year’s competition continues the tradition started last year, with plans to expand it further in the future. They hope to compete for the Guinness World Record for the longest boodle fight soon.
The City Environment and Management Office (CEMO) won the top prize worth P10,000 for their table setup and food presentation. The Economic Enterprise Development and Management Office followed in second place with P8,000, while the City Engineer’s Office won third place with P5,000.
Virgilio Encabo, the department head of CEMO, emphasized the environmentally friendly food preparation methods used. While they did not aim to win, their goal was to participate and promote eco-friendly practices, such as using papaya stalks instead of ordinary plastic straws.
“We encourage everyone to be more cautious in choosing eco-friendly materials. Let us avoid single-use plastics, not only because it is mandated by an ordinance but also because it contributes to the accumulation of waste in our garbage disposal system,” he said.
Meanwhile, Lt. Col. Monree Orlain, executive officer of the 503rd Combat Engineers, explained that the idea of showcasing their food came from the predominantly Maranao and Higaonon tribes within their unit. The troops took charge of preparing and conceptualizing the dishes, which are halal.
Additionally, the Local School Board and the City Health Office received special recognition for finishing first and second, respectively.
The event was judged based on table arrangement, food preparation, group effort, and creativity. Participants were encouraged to incorporate environmentally friendly practices in their setups. (LELA/PIA-10/Lanao del Norte)
